Card-testing device.



H. HOLLERITH. CARD TESTING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JAN.19, 1914. 1,1 32,345. Patented Mar. 16, 1915 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

In: E I! L 1 lim mason {QR I a 'a w M M H. HOLLERITH. CARD TESTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.19, 1914. 1,1 32,345.

Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

amuemto'o Witmaomzo MM WM/ 1 H. HOLLERITH. CARD TESTING DEVICE. APPLIUATION FILED JAN. 19, 1914.

1,132,345. Patented Mar. 16, 1915;

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- HERMAN HOLLERITH, or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA.

: GARD-TESTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Application filed January 19, 1914. Serial No. 813,072.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN I-IoLLnRrrH,

of'Washington, in the District of Columbia,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Card-Testing Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the .invention, Such as will enable others skilled in the art to which; it appertains to make and use the same.

In the class of record-cards employed in the Hollerith tabulating system index-point positions are indicated by punched holes located on each card in accordance with the data which that card represents. Such record-cards are passed between a series of circuit controllers which are allowed-to come together only as the "several index-points are successively presented thereto so that as a punched hole in a column registers with the circuit-closing member of that column the desired operation will be effected as the resultof the momentarily-established electrical contact.

If, owing to imperfections, a record-card contains holes or openings other than those representing index-point positions, or, as

' infrequently happens, has pieces of carbon is a diagrammatic view.

embedded therein, the circuit will unintentionally beclosed, thus occasioning the unintended operation of the machine and destroying the accuracy of the tabulation. By means of my present invention any imperfection of the character stated may be automatically detected so that such imperfect cards may be discarded before being used for 'tabulating purposes. The cards before being converted into records are severally fed between a brush and a contact plate constituting circuit-closing means in a secondary circuit. If such circuit is closed through a card,'by reason of an opening or thin spot, or a piece of carbon in the card, the main or operating-circuit is opened and the machine is automatically stopped, enabling the imperfect card to be removed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 Fig. 2 is a more detailed diagram. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the machine. 4-4, Fig. 3.

The cards 1 are preferably placed on edge upon a platform 2, and are fed therefrom, one by one, by a reciprocating cross-head 3 and feed-rollers 4 in gear with each other. Operating with feed-rollers 4: are supple- Fig. 4 is a, section on line mental feed-rollers 5, and beneath the latter I have shown a receptacle 6 into which the perfect cards may be discharged after passing through the machine. The crosshead is reciprocated by connecting rods 7 actuated by a crank-disk 8 with which the feed-rollers act in synchronism, the gearing of said'feed-rollers being driven by said crank-disk which is shown as mounted on the shaft 9 of a motor 10. This shaft has a milled head 12 at one end to permit it to. be manually turned to properly position a card in starting the machine. In the passage'of the cards through the machine they are presented to circuit-closing means which is designed to engage substantially every point of each card. The circuit closing meansshown in the drawings embodies a brush 20. composed of innumerable small wires, having a common support, and a contact plate 21, both arranged transversely. of the machine and in proximity to the feed-rollers. The brush and contact plate are separated when a card is fed between them, but if a card be not imperforate, or contain any foreign substance constituting a conductor, the circuit will be closed through the brush and its contact plate, and the machine stopped. 1

Referring now to the diagram, Fig. 1, of the electric circuits, the contact plat-e21 is connected with a relay magnet 22 in a secondary circuit, which magnet is connected with the main circuit 23 which includes a Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

generator 24-and the, motor 10. The arma- 3O tothe main circuit 23. While relay magnet 28 remains deenergized its armature 31 loses the main circuit by engagement with contact 32, but when the secondary circuit 1s closed through the brush and contact plate 21, the relay magnets are energized, causing the armature 25 to engage contact 27 and the armature 31 to disengage contact {32, thus opening the main circuit and causing the motor to stop. In the conductor 29 are contacts 40 which are arranged to be separated to break the circuit by a constantly revolving cam 41 during the interval between the passage of one and the entrance of a succeeding card into controlling position between the brush and contact plate. In the main circuit is a relay magnet which, in starting, is controlled by a starting key 46 in the main circuit, but through the armature of which the circuit is thereafter maintained while the key is opened. Also in the main circuit is a normally-closed switch-key 47 by operating which the circuit may be manually broken at any time. In the conductor 30 of the secondary circuit is a release key 48 which 1s operated only in starting the machine for the purpose of deenergizing the circuitbreaking relay magnet 28.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The cards being stacked on the platform, the operator manually turns the motor shaft to position the lower edge of a card between the brush and the contact plate, and,

while breaking the secondary circuit through the release key 48 the main circuit is closed through the starting key, thereby enabling the motor to start, the main circuit being closed and the secondary circuit open. When, however, owing to the presence of an 1mperfect card the brush is in electrical engagement with the contact plate, the secondary circuit is closed and the main circuit isopen, the former remaining'closed by the action of relay magnet 22 attracting armature 25. In the interval between cards the secondary circuit is broken through contacts 40.

By means of the present invention imperfect cards may readily be detected and while the machine is at rest may be thrown aside.

I do not restrict myself to the means scribed, the combination with card feeding means, of an electric circuit. contacts therein controlled by the cards and designed to engage during its movement substantially the entire surface of each card, and means for 2. In an apparatus of the character deautomatically stopping the feeding means in V the event of the circuit being closed through a card.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with card feeding means, of an electric circuit, contacts therein controlled by the cards, means for automatically stopping the feeding means in the event of the circuit being closed through a card, and means for breaking the circuit after each card has passed the contact.

4'. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with card feeding means, of an electric circuit, contacts therein controlled by the cards, means for automatically stopping the feeding means in the event of the circuit being closed through a card, and means actuated in synchronism with the feeding means for breaking the circuit after each card has passed the contact.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with card-feeding means and an operating motor, of an elec tric circuit, contacts therein controlled by the cards,and means for automatically stopping the motor in the event of the circuit being closed through a card.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with card feeding means and an operating motor," of an electric circuit, contacts therein contr0lled by the cards, means for automatically stopping the motor in the event of the circuit being closed through a card, and means actuated by the motor for breaking the circuit after each card has passed the contacts.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with card-feeding means and an operating motor, of a main circuit including said motor, a secondary circuit, contacts in said secondary c1rcu1t controlled by the cards, and means for automatically opening said main circuit 1n the event of the secondary circuit being closed through a card.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with card-feeding means and an operating motor, of a main circuit including said motor, a secondary circuit, contacts in said secondary circuit designed to engage substantially the entire surface of each card, and means for automatically opening said main circuit in the event of the secondary circuit being closed through a card. I

9. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with card-feeding means, of a circuit-controlling device for engaging substantially the entire surface of each card, and means controlled by such device for arresting said feeding means in the event of the circuit being closed through a card.

scribed, the com ination with card-feeding 10. In an apparatus of the character demeans, of a card-controlled electric circuit comprising normally closed contacts which are separated by the passage of a card between them, and means oontrolled by said contacts for stopping-the feeding means when an imperfect card is presented to said contacts.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERMAN HOLLERITH. Witnesses:

FRANoIs S. MAGUIRE,

RED. P. IMmIE. 

